London Rail Atlas

THIS is now the sixth edition of this outstandingly popular map book covering all the lines in and around London. A number of significant additions have occurred since 2018’s fifth edition, most notably the completion of the Elizabeth Line; the Northern line branch to Battersea Power Station; and the extension of the electrification of the overground to Barking.

The maps are drawn to a high degree of accuracy and include not only the overground and underground lines but also industrial railways. Coverage ranges beyond the central areas to also include Tilbury, Gravesend, Windsor, and Redhill.

For those who have not encountered this publication before, it should be noted that it is more than just a map book. Almost half of it is taken up with a comprehensive index that details opening and, where appropriate, closing dates of lines, stations, yards and junctions, along with information of original operating companies, and again, where appropriate, renaming of stations.

If there are criticisms, it is that the need to include so much information within

a limited space has resulted in the publisher using a very small typeface in various places, making reading quite a challenge. A second slight issue is that some of the large scale insert maps are often scattered throughout the book where suitable ‘gaps’ in the maps can be filled, making referring to the index essential. And finally, any former lines are printed in a pale pink colour that is far from easy to see, and a change to a different colour might be useful in future editions.

But despite the few constructive criticisms listed above, this is a highly recommended publication for anyone interested in maps and/or the railways in and around England’s capital city. AB Published by Crecy www.crecy.co.uk

160 pages, hardback. £27.50

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